Furniture

Abstract

A furniture piece including a plurality of rib units, each-rib unit having a pair of substantially parallel faces, at least one functional surface, and a leg or supporting member. When arranged in a predetermined, face-to-face relationship and secured by one or more connecting rods, the functional surface of each rib unit defines a surface of a furniture piece, such as a chair or bench seat, while each leg or supporting member is offset from the neighboring leg or support member according to a pattern which, when combined with the legs or supporting members of the other rib units, provides support for the entire furniture piece and its occupant.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A furniture piece, which comprises: 
       a plurality of rib units, each rib unit having  
       at least one functional surface having at most one supported end, and  
       at most one supporting member, the supporting member having a first end and a second end, the first end of the supporting member being contiguously attached to the functional surface at the supported end, and the second end of the supporting member extending downwardly from the supported end; and  
       interconnecting means for securing each of the rib units to at least one other of the rib units,  
       wherein a composite of the functional surfaces of the rib units defines one or more surfaces of the furniture piece,  
       the first end of the supporting member of each rib unit is immediately adjacent to the first end of the supporting member of at least one other of the rib units, and  
       the second end of the supporting member of each rib unit is closer to the second end of the supporting member of an adjacent one of the rib units than to the second end of the supporting member of any non-adjacent one of the rib units.  
     
     
       2. The furniture piece of  claim 1  in which at least one functional surface defines a seating surface. 
     
     
       3. The furniture piece of  claim 1  in which at least one functional surface defines a tabletop surface. 
     
     
       4. The furniture piece of  claim 1  in which each rib unit has two functional surfaces, one functional surface defining a seating surface and one functional surface defining a back support surface. 
     
     
       5. The furniture piece of  claim 1  further comprising a spacer between each adjacent rib unit. 
     
     
       6. The furniture piece of  claim 1  wherein each rib unit includes a portion of each functional surface. 
     
     
       7. The furniture piece of  claim 1  wherein each supporting member is fixed at a substantially consistent point on each rib unit. 
     
     
       8. The furniture piece of  claim 1  wherein the rib units are made of plastic. 
     
     
       9. The furniture piece of  claim 1  wherein the rib units are made of metal. 
     
     
       10. The furniture piece of  claim 1  wherein the functional surface of each rib unit has one and only one supported end. 
     
     
       11. The furniture piece of  claim 10  wherein each rib unit has one and only one supporting member. 
     
     
       12. The furniture piece of  claim 1  wherein each rib unit has one and only one supporting member. 
     
     
       13. The furniture piece of  claim 1  wherein the second ends of the supporting members are the only portions of the furniture piece that are for contacting a supporting surface on which the furniture piece is placed in use. 
     
     
       14. The furniture piece of  claim 1  wherein a total load of the furniture piece is supported by the second ends of the supporting members. 
     
     
       15. A furniture piece, which comprises: 
       a plurality of rib units having at least one functional surface and a single supporting member; and  
       interconnecting means for securing each of the rib units to one or more of the other rib units,  
       wherein a composite of the functional surfaces of the rib units defines one or more surfaces of the furniture piece,  
       each supporting member emanates consistently downward among the rib units from the same side of the furniture piece; and  
       each supporting member is fixed at an angle to a functional surface wherein the angle varies from one rib unit to another such that a composite of the supporting members provides support for the furniture piece and its load.  
     
     
       16. The furniture piece of  claim 15  in which the angle between the supporting member and a functional surface varies from one rib unit to another such that a composite of the supporting members forms a sinusoidal pattern.